Martha Smith was promoted to vice president of North America agricultural affairs and license to operate at Bayer Crop Science. She will join Bayer’s North America crop science leadership team. Smith succeeds Duane Simpson, who was recently named the next CEO and president of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.
The National Pork Producers Council named Shannon McM
Dillon Davidson (NPPC photo)urtrey-Belson senior director of international affairs. She was senior legislative director at USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and earlier deputy assistant administrator at USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service Office of International Coordination, where she led market access negotiations for U.S. pork on behalf of FSIS. Dillon Davidson, the new director of state policy, joins NPPC from the Nevada Department of Agriculture, where he was a senior trade officer. Earlier, Davidson worked for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. He will work remotely.
Jamison Cruce left his position as vice president of government relations at USA Rice to launch his own firm, Cruce Capitol Consulting. He will represent the American Sugar Cane League and Louisiana sugarcane farmers and processors. Cruce worked at USA Rice for seven years and earlier worked for the American Farm Bureau Federation and Georgia Peanut Commission.
Jake Westlin, vice president of policy and communications at the National Association of Wheat Growers, will succeed Cruce at USA Rice as vice president of government affairs. Westlin previously worked for Forbes Tate Partners and former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.
Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans hired Carlye Winfrey as a legislative aide. She was previously a government affairs manager on the agriculture, food and conservation team at Monument Advocacy. Earlier, Winfrey was an intern with the House Agriculture Committee and the Department of State with the U.S. Agency for International Development. A former committee intern, Ella Hommel, was hired as a staff assistant. She previously worked as a government relations intern at Land O’ Lakes.
House Agriculture Committee Republicans hired Austin DeBerry as a staff assistant. He was an intern on the committee during the spring semester. Sofia Jones joined the committee as director of member services and coalitions. She spent six years at the appropriations committee, recently as deputy director of operations and member services.
Jordyn Landberg joined the Farm Foundation as director of marketing and communications. She has worked in nonprofit and philanthropic communications roles for nearly 20 years, including for Michael Reese Health Trust and Les Turner ALS Foundation.
Jared Henderson (Growth Energy photo)Growth Energy named Jared Henderson director of government affairs. He worked on Capitol Hill for eight years, including as a senior policy adviser for Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and legislative assistant for former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D. Emma Keiser was also hired as a director of government affairs. She was a legislative assistant for Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.
Pivot Bio named Daryl Allen vice president of sales. He was global biologicals commercial business expansion leader at Corteva Agriscience. Allen has held leadership roles at Corteva, DuPont and Monsanto during his 30-year ag sales and management career.
Elanco Animal Health appointed Robert VanHimbergen chief financial officer. He was senior vice president and chief financial officer at Hillenbrand and earlier led global finance at Johnson Controls. He will succeed Todd Young beginning July 7.
Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment promoted Rachel Dunne to senior manager of communications and events. She will continue to lead communications strategy and will now lead event coordination. She has been with RISE for two and a half years. Jon Gaeta was promoted to senior director of government affairs, responsible for state and local government relations advocacy and engagement. Gaeta has been with RISE for five years, recently as director of state affairs.
The Business Roundtable hired Nasim Fussell as vice president of trade and international policy. She previously led Lot Sixteen’s international trade practice as senior vice president. Fussell was a partner at Holland & Knight, where she was a member of the public policy and regulation and international trade practices.
The Water Council promoted Karen Fros
Karen Frost (Water Council photo)t to executive director. She has been with the organization for 10 years, recently as vice president of economic development and innovation. Frost worked at the Racine County Economic Development Corp. in Wisconsin. She will succeed Dean Amhaus, who is retiring.
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Taylor Sublette joined Ag Careers as a relationship marketing and brand specialist. As an Iowa State University student, Sublette was active in Block and Bridle and the National Agri-Marketing Association student marketing team competition.
Casey Kinler joined the National Milk Producers Federation as senior director of board, state and member relations. She worked at the American Composites Manufacturers Association and the Animal Agriculture Alliance.
Paul Murphy-Spooner was promoted to senior director of external communications at the United Soybean Board. He has been with the organization for six years, recently as director of public relations and issues management. Spooner has also worked for the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance.
The Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation named Jenna Wicks director of strategic programs and education. She was a program manager at the Farm Journal Foundation. Nicole Solberg was promoted to communications and alumni relations manager. She has been with the organization for six years, recently as administrative director.
The Animal Health Institute board elected Jamie Brannan, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Zoetis, as chair. He has been with Zoetis since 2016, recently leading commercial operations across all global markets. Richerd DeLuca, executive vice president and president of Merck Animal Health, is immediate past chair. Joseph Huff, Colorado Serum Co. president, was re-elected treasurer.
The National Pork Board hired Andy Tauer as vice president of international market development. He previously held policy positions with the Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Kerry hired Terry Wicks as North American commercial director of animal health and nutrition. He worked for Devenish Nutrition North America and Adisseo.
Bradley McKinney joined the Commerce Department as deputy assistant secretary. He previously worked for the Import-Export Bank of the United States, International Trade Administration and Torrey Advisory Group.
Teresa Roof was promoted to senior strategic communications manager at Mom’s Meals. She has been with the organization since 2022, recently as public relations manager.
The Corn Refiners Association hired Ameya Khanapurkar as a project and policy coordinator. He will support the Carbohydrate Check Sample Program, weekly CRA Trade Update and research work, among other responsibilities. Khanapurkar is returning to CRA after serving as a trade policy intern during the fall of 2024. A recent graduate of Boston University, he also completed a research internship with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
New USDA political appointees
Jeremy Witte (right) at his June 2 swearing-in ceremony with USDA White House liaison Dominic Restuccia. (USDA photo)Jeremy Witte was sworn in as deputy under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs at USDA. He led trade, research and extension, biotechnology, crop protection and specialty crops issues on the Senate Ag Committee staff. Earlier, he worked for the House Ag Committee and Cornerstone Government Affairs.
Jennifer Mack McGillicuddy was named associate administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service. She founded and served as principal of the government and public relations services organization DevMade. Earlier, she worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Center for Strategic and International Studies as a senior associate.
FAS named Edward Newburn a senior adviser. He was chief of staff at South Dakota Trade, the organization led by Luke Lindberg, who was nominated to be USDA's under secretary of trade and foreign agricultural affairs.
Gabrielle Rossi rejoined USDA as assistant to the deputy secretary. She was deputy chief of staff to the deputy administrator at USDA during President Donald Trump’s first term. An Oregon farmer, she is member of the Multnomah County Farm Bureau board.
Jeremy Ryan Claeys was named administrator of the USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service. He was in the Kansas state legislature for 12 years before joining the office of the Kansas attorney general as a senior adviser.
Patricia Patnode was sworn in as a special adviser in the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement. She was a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and outreach director for Lone Conservative.
Anthony Jones was hired as a confidential assistant in the Office of USDA's Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Johnathan Wachter was named a confidential assistant in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration.
Cade Haggard joined USDA's White House Liaison Office, Jack Reeves was added to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations, and Alana Louvis was appointed to the Farm Production and Conservation mission area.
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